The Bells
by Gwilwileth of Imladris
Summary: A prelude to ' Machines'. COMPLETE
1. Silver Bells

The Bells  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the poem ' The Bells' that is property of Edgar Allan Poe. Also I do not own the Lord of the Rings or any characters associated with it outside of my OC characters which are not in this story.  
  
AN: This is a four chapter story that is a prelude to my story ' Machines.' If I make any errors or disrupt the Middle Earthen timeline too much I am sorry. All four chapters are told from Thranduil's point of view. Also I'd like to thank Anikan for letting me barrow the Tolkien Guide he checked out from the library.  
  
Chapter one: Silver Bells.  
  
* Hear the Sledges with the bells- Silver bells! What a world of merriment their melody foretells!*  
  
I received the message only moments ago. Sauron was defeated. All throughout Eryn Lasgalen elvish singing could be heard. Their musical voices lifted to the sky praising the Halflings with their silver bell voices.  
  
*How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, In the icy air of night!*  
  
In six months time the new King of Gondor will be crowned, and my son will come home. Too long has my son Legolas Thrandulion been away. I worried for him every day of his journey as I saw the darkness spread.  
  
* While the stars that oversprinkle All the heavens, seems to twinkle With a crystalline delight*  
  
The darkness spread and roused the orcs of Dol Guldur. It was a long battle but we managed to stay them off. I will send work to my kinsmen, Celeborn of Lothlorien in assistance with annihilating the threat of Dol Guldur once and for all. Though this will pain me to some degree. I have never liked to ask for help, but now that this new age of peace and light is upon us, I would like to destroy the threat to my Kingdom once and for all.  
  
*Keeping time, time, time, In a sort of Runic Rhyme, To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells*  
  
What is it mortals say," Time heals all wounds." It will take some time for the world to heal from Sauron's wrath. I know that Rohan and Gondor will take the longest to heal, I fear Elessar has his work cut out for him. But if he could survive capturing Gollum and bringing him all the way to the Woodland Realms then ruling a kingdom should be no problem. A smile touches my face as I remembered the former Ranger, bring the creature before me. The Ranger seemed to have more cuts and bruises than his captive. But all is well now. The world is now entering the Fourth age, the time of the elves will soon be completely over but at least we sail to Valinor and leave a peaceful world behind us. I close my eyes and listen to the voices, so much like silver bells.  
  
* From the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells- From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.*  
  
End of chapter one  
  
An: So what do you think? Chapter 2: Golden Bells 


	2. Golden Bells

The Bells  
  
Disclaimer: See chapter one.  
  
AN: In case some of you did not know. The poem ' The Bells' has four parts too it. So each part is a separate chapter. Again Thranduil' POV.  
  
Chapter 2: Golden Bells  
  
*Hear the mellow wedding bells, Golden bells! What world of happiness their harmony foretells!*  
  
I ride happily to the shores of the west. There are the boats. The boats that will take me to my family, all of which have sailed to the Undlying Lands before me. Legolas traveled to them with the dwarf Gimli in the year 120 of the fourth age. It is now five years later and I wish nothing more than to return to my family. My business is finished here.  
  
* Through the balmy air of night How they ring out their delight! From the molten-golden notes, and an in tune, What liquid floats, to the turtle-dove that listens, while she gloats on the moon*  
  
The Sindar who wish to remain and not sail to the Undying Lands beseeched me before my journey to stay and continue to be their King. But I declined them, too long as my heart wished to see my wife, and long has it wished to see my child. As I ride, I hum a tune, drawing the attention of hobbit children that watch me approach the White Towers. The White Towers, the boats, my family- I am filled with joy. I shall see my family again!  
  
*Oh, from out the sounding cells What a gush of euphony voluminously wells! How it swells! How it dwells! On that Future! How it tells Of that rapture that impels*  
  
The white towers, that is where the boats are. I tell myself this over and over, yet I stand there in-between them and there are no boats. There is no one. The docks that once held elven boats now look destroyed by storms and rotten . The water was choppy and loud waves crashed onto shore as if to escape the storm clouds behind them.  
  
*To the swinging and the ringing *  
  
My mind now comprehends what is going on. I missed the boats.I will never see my family again. I am to remain here, forever.  
  
*Of the bells, bells, bells, Of the bells, bells, bells, bells, Bells, bells, bells- To the rhyming and chiming of the bells!*  
  
End of Chapter 2.  
  
AN: *Ducks the flames that I know are to come* Yes I know. I am cruel to poor Thranduil. Chapter Three: Brazen (Bronze) Bells! I used Golden Bells for this because Thranduil was happy about going to be with his family. 


	3. Brazen Bells

The Bells  
  
Disclaimer: See chapter one  
  
AN: Thanks to Tree Hugger and Dragon of the North for their reviews.  
  
Chapter3: Brazen Bells  
  
* Hear the loud alarm bells- Brazen Bells! What a tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells!*  
  
Much has changed. Not a tree left standing in Lothlorien, the message had come four weeks ago from the hobbits. Hobbits forced out of the shire by humans once the settlement of Bree expanded. We expect not word from the dwarves, they have delved deep into the earth, never to surface again. What device could topple and burn all of the strong mallorns? What destroyed the golden wood?  
  
* In the startled ear of night, how they scream out their afraid! Too much horrified to speak, they can only shriek, shriek*  
  
Humans. Humans destroyed Lothlorien, that much I know. But how? Most of those trees where too strong to be taken by hand-driven ax or flame. What weapon do the humans posses that we do not know of?  
  
* Out of tune! In a clamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire, In a made expostulation with the deaf and frantic fire, Leaping higher, higher, higher With a desperate desire, and a resolute endeavor, Now-now to sit or never, by the side of the pale-faced moon. Oh, the bells, bells, bells! What a tale their terror tells! Of Despair!*  
  
The songs of Mirkwood no longer hold beautiful silver bell voices singing songs of merriment. Now the voices are lamentable singing of loved ones that where killed at our boarders. The orc population has increased, and the humans blame us. The humans attack in quick, large groups killing as many Elves as they can at our boarders before retreating back to safe territory. But we fight back, killing humans that enter this realm.  
  
* How they clang, and clash, and roar! What a horror they outpour. On the bosom of the palpitating air! Yet the ear if fully knows, By the twanging, And the clanging, How the danger ebbs and flows*  
  
But no matter how many we kill, more humans come. Only a thousand elves still live Arda, a thousand elves against close to four million humans. I wait for word from the hobbits who fled to Fangorn...I have received none.  
  
*Yet the ear distinctly tells, In the jangling, and the wrangling, How the dangers sinks and swells*  
  
I am sitting atop of one of Mirkwood's trees while I think. And while I think I thank the Valar for not having my family be here. I thank them for not having my son and wife see just how far the world has fallen. From up here I can see for hundreds of miles.  
  
* By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells- Of the bells-*  
  
I see black smoke coming from the south, and loud bangs and whistles coming from the smoke. It is far to the south, just at the boarder. More smoke and more whistles, hundreds of them lining the boarder. What is in that smoke? I see a faint glimmer of metal. The boarder guards blow their horns in warning.  
  
* Of the bells, bells, bells, bells, Bells, bells, bells-*  
  
The trees being to fall before the quickly approaching smoke.  
  
* In the clamor and the clangor of the bells!*  
  
End of chapter 3 


	4. Iron Bells

The Bells  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing that was created by Tolkien or Poe.  
  
AN: Sorry it has been so long since I updated. Going back to school is hard work. Oh well. Now I'm updating. Big thanks to Tree Hugger and Dragon of the North since you two are the only ones who have read and reviewed on my story. ^.^ You guys rock!  
  
Chapter Four: Iron Bells  
  
*Hear the tolling of the bells--  
  
Iron bells!  
  
What a world of solumn thouhgt their melody compells! In the silence of the night,  
  
How we shiver with affright  
  
At the melancholy menace of their tone!  
  
For every sound that float  
  
From the rust within their throats  
  
Is a groan.*  
  
Ash and soot. Ash and soot are all I can see, are all that remains. Among the ash and soot are the dead bodies and graves of my kind. We fought them, day and night, under Anor and Ithil, but their where too many.  
  
*And the people--ah, the people--  
  
They dwell up in the steeple,  
  
All alone,  
  
And who tolling, tolling, tolling,  
  
In that muffled monotone*  
  
The humans didn't care how they killed elves, just that they killed elves.Some where captured and burned, other's beaten until death. Some preferred to kill themselves than die at the hands of humans. While others like myself chose to fight until death, to defend their homes. After all.where else can we go?  
  
*Feel a glory in so rolling,  
  
On the human heart a stone--  
  
They are neither man nor woman--  
  
They are neither brute nor human--  
  
They are Ghouls *  
  
All that was good in Aragorn, King Estel's blood died with his son. The line of Kings is now forever corrupt. Seems Islidur's Bane was not that ring itself, nor was it just restricted to his families blood line alone, but his all-consuming thirst for power, which has shown itself once again  
  
*And their king is it who tolls;  
  
And he rolls, rolls, rolls,  
  
Rolls  
  
A paean from the bells!  
  
And his merry bosom swells  
  
With the paen of the bells!  
  
And he dances, and he yells;  
  
Keeping time time, time, time,  
  
In a sort of Runic rhyme,  
  
To the paean of the bells--  
  
Of the bells*  
  
There is not more Mirkwood, no more Eryn Lasgalen. These thoughts are still hard for me to accept. Anor no longer shines through the smoke, ash, and soot. I do not even know if Ithil or the stars of Elebreth shine anymore. All I can see is smoke and all I can hear are whistles, axes and bells.  
  
*Keeping time, time, time,  
  
In a sort of Ruinic rhyme,  
  
To the throbbing of the bells--  
  
Of the bells, bells, bells--*  
  
No more elven songs, no more elven voices. No more silver bell voices.  
  
*To the sobbing of the bells;  
  
Keeping time, time, time,  
  
As he knells, knells, knells,  
  
In a happy Runic rhyme,  
  
To the tolling of the bells--*  
  
All I can hear are whistles, axes and bells.  
  
*Of the bells, bells, bells--  
  
Bells, bells, bells--*  
  
.Whistles, axes and bells.  
  
*To the moaning and the groaning of the bells. *  
  
End of ' The Bells'. 


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